BY ADAMA CONTEH
Ezekiel Bangura made his fifth appearance before Magistrate Sahr Kekura of Pademba Road Court No. 1, and he was remanded to the Male Correction Center.
The accused person was standing trial on 2 count charges ranging from conspiracy to commit a crime, and house breaking and larceny contrary to Section 26(1) of the Larceny Act of 1916. It was stated in count one that the accused person on 12th May 2024, at Hill Top, Hill Station in Freetown, conspired with other persons unknown to commit a crime.
Count 2 further alleged that the accused on the above same date and address in Freetown with intent to steal, broke and entered into the dwelling house of one Stella Bendu and stole, one Solar Power Bank valued (SLe2,000), one black color detective Smart Electronic Sunglasses valued (€300), one Satellite Satcom decoder valued (SLe650), one White Color Philips DVD Player valued (SLe300), one 4 terabytes Hard Drive valued (SLe830), one black color brand Tape and Radio combined with USB compartment valued(SLe500), one Electronic Iron valued (SLe350), three big Black Bag Parks valued each (SLe250), one Electronic Sterbilizer Valued (SLe1, 000), one electric Extension valued (SLe150), one big size Megaphone valued (SLe300), set of assorted provisions all valued (SLe275), one weighing scale valued (SLe500), one water heater valued (SLe350), one small assorted color hand luggage valued (SLe350) and physical cash of the sum of (SLe3, 000) all to the total value of (SLe22, 280) properties of the said Stella Bendu.
Stella Finda Bendu the witness said that she recognized the accused person as a member at her church and she did recall on 12th May 2024, she was at her church and she got a distress call that her back gate to her home was found open and that she had to rush home to see and to her surprised, she saw the zinc structure ripped open and she found out that some of her properties were missing, Satcom Decoder which cost 650le, and more.
The witness further testified that she went to the police station and filed a complaint about the said theft, and she came back home with a police officer who took snapshots of the crime scene. She furthered stated that she woke up early in the morning when she heard some knocking at her door telling her that someone has broken into her compound and she then came out and shouted thief but that the accused ran, but he was caught on the process, and he was taken to the police station at Akon.
The following day she went to the police station, and they went to her house with the accused and a police officer and that the accused person confessed that he was the one doing all the theft, but he was not alone but three in numbers. The accused admitted that all what the witness said is true and has nothing to say to it.
The court refused bail for the accused, and he was remanded to the Male Correctional center at Pademba Road. The matter was adjourned to the 1st August 2024, for further hearing.
